East Mississippi Community College - Lion Yearbook (Scooba, MS)

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There is a beautiful lady ; Spenser called her Pride. The six deadly sins are her steeds when she rides. Can you imagine such a thing being called a train? Many have died around her castle and their bones remain. He describes the people and things to be found in hell. 1 think that is one thing he wasn ' t forced to tell. What is down there Spenser didn ' t know ; neither do I. That is one thing I hope I never find out even after I die. Then the Redcross Knight is a captive made, And in the foul den until almost dead he stays. But Una meets Arthur, the brave, brave knight Who conquers the giant in a terrible fight. With Una the Redcross Knight departs for spent, But they do not go far before the Knight must repent. He is led by Una to Mother Celestial Knowledge ; What he learns here is worth more than four years in college. When he repents strength comes back that he once had; Then he kills a dragon and rescues Una ' s mother and dad. He and Una are married and never more do roam ; A beautiful ending to a terrible poem. I drew a sigh of relief when I reached the end Spenser might infer I meant to offend For I thought of a love story as they are written today. Not as the Faerie Queene is written — in an old fashioned way. I have heard some say Spenser ' s stories have a beautiful rhyme, But to me it looks no better than this of mine ; And this reads and sounds like a fourth grade child. By this you can see I don ' t think his story worth while. —GUY AKERS. 21

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The Lion Burlesque on the Faerie Queene The Faerie Queene is a three fold allegory In which Spenser give.s the reign of Elizabeth ' s glory ; He thought writing a book glorifjdng her name Would help him in the English court to win fame. The critics admit to all without a doubt That not even they know what it ' s all about. You can appreciate Spenser best said Long By reading a few selections. He is not wrong. When the story begins, a knight is on the plain. For those who read it, it begins a pain Because the modern man gets lost in the allegory And wonders while reading what is happening in the story. I called myself dumb because I didn ' t understand. But found out later neither does any other man. Some say his scenes are beautiful — that I ' ll admit. But why didn ' t he write them at once and then quit ! The knight fights a monster half woman and half snake. But I think the half woman portion is all a fake, For her tail is in circles all over the ground And her young creep into her mouth till none can be found. I think of a woman as charming and wearing a smile, But the description of this monster is something vile. To have called such a thing part woman I think was mean. But we may expect anything in Spenser ' s Faerie Queene. In the story a man is transformed into a tree ; That part sounds like a fish story to me; Also a lion licks a lady ' s lily white hand. Such things are never told bv a truthful man. 20

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The Lio n Freshmen 22